Toggle action self-locking wrench and/or nonlocking pliers



Sep- 5, R950 F. w. LAMPE TOGGLE ACTION SELF-LOCKING WRENCH AND/0R NONLOCKING PLIERS Filed March 28, 1946 |41 \|IIZ Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES :PATENT OFFICE-fj TOGGL'E ACTION SELF-LOCKING WRENCH AND/OR NONIIOCKING PLIERS Friedrich W. Lampe, Detroit, Mich. g

Application March 28, 1946, Serial No. 657,806

(ci. iii- 84) 4 Claims. i

lThis invention relates generally to pliers, and has vparticular relation tovtoggle action pliers. More particularly, it relates to toggle action pliers,V the jaws of which may be repeatedly opened and closed by limited movement of a movable handle.

The conventional toggle action pliers provide jaws-which enter into locking engagement upon closing the-same.

In using a tool of this character, itis frequently desirable to repeatedly open and close the jaws thereof. Obviously, such repeated opening and closing may not be conveniently.'- accomplished if upon closing the same they become'automatically locked. When this occurs,sa id jaws must be unlocked by forcibly urging the handles ofthe pliers apart.

Quite often, it is necessary to use pliers of this nature in a position or in places where use'of both hands to accomplish the unlocking thereof is not only inconvenient, but reduces considerably the amount of -work accomplished by the operator. Furthermore, it is often desirable to repeatedly open and close the jaws without too great movement of the movable handle, thereby making it possible for an operator to use the pliers with one hand in a limited space. 1^

Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide pliers of this character on which an arcuately movable clip is conveniently accessible to the operator for changing over the pliers from automatically locking pliers-to pliers which may be repeatedly opened and closed.

Another object of this invention is 1to provide such pliers with an antilocking device, which, although conveniently and accessibly located, is so positioned that in use it may notbe inadvertently moved into position permitting the pliers to automatically lock as the j awsliare closed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide pliers of the character describedin which the movable jaw may be prevented Y`from fully opening while the adjusting screw is turned to bring such jaw into adjusted position, thereby facilitating such adjustment. To"'1accomplish this,'a slidable latch is provided on ,the movable handle to limit the opening movement of the same and thereby the movable jaw against opening fully.

A further object of the present invention is to provide pliers of the character described, the jaws of which may be repeatedly opened-aand closed by a limited movement of a movable, handle.

A still further object of the preseiii;4 invention is to provide in pliers of this typemeans for preventing misalignment between the end of the 'adjusting screw and the shiftable link whiclii controls the jaw setting. ,A still further object of the present invention is.A to provide toggle action'pliershinwhich rthread-1 justment screw is frictionally held against inadvertent movement after the jaws have been placed; in predetermined, adjusted-position. l l Further objects and advantagesr of my invention will be apparent from the descriptionwhich follows when considered in connection with-the accompanying drawings in whichflikenumerals indicate. like yparteY wherever shown vand where- Figure 1 is a view in side sectional elevation oiy toggle action pliers with the jaws in open posir 1tion, illustrating the improvements of this inven-.

ion. V-

Figure 2 is-'a side elevation'of the pliers shown` in Figure 1 with the jaws inv closed position.

Figure 3 is a bottom View of the-pliers illustrated in Figure l. i I Y 1 Figure 4 is a section ATtaken substantially on: line-4 4 of Figure 2 illustrating the antilocking shield in inoperative position. Figure 5 is a section N4taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 2 illustrating `the latchv forlV limiting Vthe opening movement of the movable handle andithereby the movablepjawf'from open'- ing fully.r4 i In the iigures, the main handle portion of the' pliers is designated at I *A secondhandle, which is movable, is indicated at 2; As will'hereinafter -become more clear', movementof this handle ina direction toward handle Ileffects closing. of'thejawsofthe pliers. V'r i This handle 2, which is4 formed of a U-shaped4 section ofv varying depth, :receives the arcuately movable jaw 3 inl the-frontend thereof, between' its walls 4 and 5, and `issecured thereto by means of a pin 6 extending throughmating openings provided in' said jaw and walls. i i i The opposite ear ofjawv 3 lisy retained within the-Walls 'l and 8l offthe-.U-shapedhandle Iv by means of -pin 9. In this'` position, jaw 3 is opposite jawV member IIlffjsfecuredrin the 4-nose ofhandle I by welding crfpther suitable means.- I Rearwardly of pin t Vinlhandlev 2, link II ispinned at I2 to such handle. This pivotl I2 acts as the fulcrum point for yhandle 2. The lopposite end of link II vis pinned at I3 to the ex-- tending ears of friction -clip I4 which frlctionally engages the adjacent small end 'I5 of adjustingM screw IG.- Such adjusting; screw IIiis threadably contained within theiannular, rear portion Il of lhandle- I. Rotation :off adjustment `screwY ItI effects movement of clip Il and link I I.

This movement of link I I serves to move handle 2, causing jaw 3 to rotate about pivot 9 for adjusting said jaw a predetermined distance from jaw I0.

A spring I8 is attached to lug I9 of the jaw 3 which lies between pivots 6 and 9, respectively,

and to a depressed clip 20 provided in handle Iv jaw 3, between pins 6 and 9, is greater than .that between pivot 9 and lug I9, the jaws close. Movement of handle 2 continues until lug 2|, on link II engages the inner surface of handle 2. At such'time; pivot points 6 and I3 are in line, and pivot I3 has passed slightlybeyond the line of suchv pivots. The jaws are then locked, due to the vforce vexerted at pin 6 `inthe direction of the pivot-points, resulting from the action of spring HIJ-When it is desired to unlock the jaws, the equilibrium maybe broken by urging handle Y2 awayfrom' handle I'. This moves pivot I2 out of ll'ne'with pivotsv 6 and I3, permitting spring VI!! to open -the jaws.

`As* stated in the foregoing, it is frequently vdesirable vto usethelpliers in such manner that the jaws 3 and I0 may be repeatedly opened and closed'w'ithoutibecoming locked. To prevent such locking, -an antilocking spacer 22 adapted to be interposed between'stop 2I and the inner surface of movable handle 2 is pivotally mounted at 23 onflink ilI to be arcuately moved into position between'stop 2fI 'and the inner surface'of the movable `arm 2. fA tab 2l, outwardly directed from spacer 22, permits the operator'to shift such spacerv by means of aiinger or thumb. Another tab 25 acts as'gstop to prevent spacer 22 from moving past the stop l2I as it is shifted into :position between the same and the inner surface of movable#handled.V l

In"^or'der to `lfacilitate adjustment of the movably jaw 3,`latchmem'ber 26, mounted in handle 2 between pins 6 and I2, may be slidably moved into .engagement with lip 21, provided therefor onllnk II, -as movable handle 2 is'urged toward handle I. Such engagement occurs while some movement of'handle 2 toward handle I is still possible, that is to say, before the same is prevented by stop 2| or spacer 25. This engagementqof latch 26 and' lip 21 -limits'the movable handlefwh'en released, from fully opening and lit will beapprecia'ted that jaw 3 is thereby prevented from moving` fully Aaway from jaw Il). The operatorl may then easily adjust the jaw 3 by means of screw I6 and 'it is .possible with the remaining movement of handle 2 toward handle I toi tightly grip anr object between jaws 3 and III, although .screw IB vmay have been turned inwardly until tight. Thus, by preventing `full opening of the jaw 3, the operator is not required to unnecessarily openand close the jaws while adjusting'ijaw l. i

'Movement off latch 16 into engagement with lip 21 'is accomplished'by means of'rivet'228 which extends-through the latch '26 l'or 'securing' saidv latch Ito cover 291:exteriorly of" handle 2. Rivet Zlfis provided'with a `conveniently shaped head 3U which 1may="becontacted -by' the operator's for shiftingrivetZl in :groove 8 I .provided Vl5 length of the eiective lever arm, afforded by' 4 therefor in handle 2. Movement of rivet 2l, of caurse, moves latch 26 into or out of engagement with the lip 21 on the link II.

This limited opening of handle 2 is also desirable when the pliers are used in one-handed operation or in places where full opening of handle 2 is either undesirable or impossible. With such limited opening of handle A2, all the advantages of permitting lthe jaws to be opened and closed repeatedly, at the" will of the operator, are retained while the disadvantage of having handles I and 2 widely separated to accomplish opening of the jaws is' eliminated.

In order to insure positive alignment between the reduced end I5 of adjusting screw I6 and the adjacent abutting end of link I I at all times, clip vI4 is-,provided with the annular collar 32. Such annular collar 32 is adapted to receive end I5 of such adjusting screw I6. Thus, with clip Il pinned at I 3 to the link I I, it will be appreciated that these two elements must remain in alignment. collar 32.

Thus, itmay be seen that -by providing togglef action pliers with the improvements described in the foregoing, itis possible to provide pliers cf this character with antilocking means and.

with means to prevent full opening of the'handln,

' allowing such pliers to be used with great ease inv single-handed operation when it is desiiablet repeatedly openand close the jawsrof the same.

It will be clearffrom the foregoing descriptionv that the toggle action pliers shown in the draw-4 ings and described above have 'been' illustrated' spirit and scope* of the 'invention as set forth in the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

' l. Toggle action plierscomprising, :a handle, a" fixed jaw 'in one end thereof, a screw threadably retained in the opposite end of said handle, af

friction clip having an annular portion adapted to frictionally engage Yan end-of the screw, antifa` pair of arms extending from said annular portion. an arcuately movable 4jaw p'vota'lly con' nected to said handle, a movable `handle having" side walls and 'being pivotally connected to said handle "to arcuatelymove said movable jaw away'- from the iixedjaw. 'said movable handle over`` coming the action of the spring to effectarcuute"4 morren/lent of 'the movable jaw 'toward the fixed' jaw as vsaidhand'le is forcibly urged toward :saiiif rst named handle, a stop on said link ladapted to engage the inner surface of the movable handle for preventing `n'iovement of said handle after a pivot connecting the same 'to said link passes slightly beyond the' line of pivots connecting the same vto said movable jaw and said link tothe friction clip, vand .a spacer 'element pivotailly A further improvement is afforded -byj This collar frictionally engages end` I 5 of screw I6'. Such frictional engagement pre-- posed between said stop and inner surface of the movable handle.

2. rioggle action pliers comprising, a handle, a fixed jaw in one end thereof, a screw threadably retained in the opposite end of said handle, a friction clip having an annular portion adapted to surround and frictionally grip an end of the screw, and a pair of spaced arms extending from said annular portion, an arcuately movable jaw pivotally connected to said handle, a movable handle having side walls and being pivotally connected to said jaw, a link having one end pivotally connected between said arms extending from said friction clip, the other end of the link being pivotally connected between side walls of the movable handle and forming a fulcrum therefor, said screw being rotatable to shift the fulcrum of the movable handle, said friction clip serving to prevent inadvertent rotation of the screw after the fulcrum is in adjusted position, a spring attached to said movable jaw and rst named handle serving to urge the movable jaw away from the fixed jaw, said movable handle serving to overcome the action of the spring to effect arcuate movement of the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw as said handle is forcibly urged toward the first named handle, a stop member projecting from said link and adapted to engage the inner surface of the movable handle and limiting the movement of said handle after a pivot connecting the same to said link passes slightly beyond the line of pivots connecting said handle to said movable jaw and said link to the friction clip thereby locking the jaws in gripping relation with an object therebetween, a spacer element pivotally mounted on said link being adapted to be interposed when desirable between the stop member and the inner surface of the movable handle to increase the effective length of said stop member, and a shiftable latch on the movable handle cooperating with a lip on said link for limiting the opening of the handle when such latch is shifted to contact said lip.

3. Toggle action pliers comprising a handle, a fixed jaw in one end thereof, a screw threadably retained in the opposite end of said handle, a friction clip having an annular portion adapted to frictionally engage an end of the screw, and a pair of spaced arms extending from said annular portion, an arcuately movable jaws pivotally connected to said handle, a movable handle having side walls and being pivotally connected to said movable jaw, a link having one end pivotally connected between said arms extending from said friction clip, the other end of the link pivotally connected between the side walls of the movable handle and forming a fulcrum therefor, said screw being rotatable to shift fulcrum of the movable handle, said friction clip serving to prevent inadvertent rotation of the screw after the fulcrum is in adjusted position, a spring at- -tached to said movable jaw and rst named handle and serving to arcuately urge said movable jaw away from the fixed jaw, said movable lhandle serving to overcome the action of the spring to effect arcuate movement of the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw as said handle is forcibly urged toward the iirst named handle, a stop member on said link adapted to engage the inner surface of the movable handle for preventing movement of said handle after a pivot connecting the same tc said link passes slightly beyond the line of pivots connecting said handle to said movable jaw and said link to the friction clip thereby locking the jaws in gripping relation with an object therebetween, and a shiftable latch on the movable handle adapted to engage a lip on said link for limiting the opening of the handle to unlock said jaws.

4. Toggle action pliers comprising, a handle, a fixed jaw in one end thereof, a screw threadably retained in the opposite end of said handle, a friction clip having an annular portion adapted to frictionally engage an end of the screw, and a pair of spaced arms extending from said annular portion, an arcuately movable jaw pivotally connected to said handle, a movable handle having side walls and being pivotally connected to said movable jaw, a link having one end pivotally connected between said arms extending from said friction clip, the other end of the link being pivotally connected between side walls of the movable handle and forming a fulcrum therefor, said screw being rotatable to shift the fulcrum of the movable handle, said friction clip serving to prevent inadvertent rotation of the screw after the fulcrum is in adjusted position, a spring attached to said movable jaw and rst named handle serving to arcuately urge said movable jaw away from the fixed jaw, said movable handle serving to overcome the action of the spring to effect arcuate movement of the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw as said handle is forcibly urged toward the iirst named handle, a stop membe,n on said link adapted to engage the inner surface of the movable handle for preventing movement of said handle after a pivot connecting the same to said link passes slightly beyond the line of pivots connecting said handle to said movable jaw and said link to said friction clip, and an antilocking spacer adapted to be interposed between said stop and the inner surface of the movable handle to increase the eifective length of said stop member, Said spacer being shaped to enter protectively between the side wall of the movable handle.

FRIEDRICH W. LAMPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,086,078 Palmer Feb. 3, 1914 1,489,458 Petersen Apr. 8, 1924 2,201,918 Petersen May 21, 1940 2,385,654 Seashore Sept. 25, 1945 2,391,604 Wallace Dec. 25, 1945 2,417,013 Petersen Mar. 4, 1947 2,478,696 Isele Aug. 9, 1949 

